By Paul Strege

As seen in…

All photos courtesy of  Bass Communications

Every angler has a story… or, song… For Elite Series professional Casey Ashley, his chorus resonates across the lakes of the Piedmont Plateau.

Casey Ashley grew up in a small community in northwestern South Carolina, called Donalds. The town, population 350, was centrally located amongst several Southeastern bass factories: Russell, Hartwell, Clarks Hill, Murray, and Greenwood lakes. Not unlike many other families of the area, fishing and other outdoor pursuits were the focal point of recreational activity. At Age 4, Casey caught his first bass and from that point forward, nearly every time his father went fishing, he pleaded to go. Just six years later, he began entering fishing tournaments.

Casey recalls, “When I was 10 years old, my Daddy and I tried to get into a team tournament on Clarks Hill, but they wouldn’t let me fish. They said that I was too young. So, we went out on our own and probably caught 25 pounds that day.”

Some team tournaments did not exclude children and allowed Casey to participate under the supervision of an adult. One of those circuits was a nighttime league on Lake Russell. The fields typically consisted of 20 to 30 boats, with some tournaments attracting as many as 40 teams. Casey and his father especially enjoyed the format and often fished two nights a week out of their tournament-rigged Basshawk fishing boat.

“I still enjoy night tournaments to this day. One thing that sticks out in my mind was the shotgun blast off. There would be 30 boats lined up, and after the horn blew, everybody would take off in a big race. That was the highlight of the night for me.”

As Casey identifies, entering tournaments at an impressionable age cultivated his competitive instinct.

“I got used to being competitive – wanting to win. My Daddy and I fished a lot of tournaments together, at least two a week, during the summertime. I just fell in love with the sport. From a very young age, I knew that was all that I wanted to do.”

Throughout high school, Casey participated in the classic, organized team sports of football, basketball, and baseball. When turkey season rolled around, he occasionally hunted, and when he obtained his driver license, he took-up raccoon hunting. But, every weekend he still found time to fish.

After graduating in 2002, Casey enrolled in an industrial electronics technology program at Piedmont Technical College in Greenwood, South Carolina. While his mind steered him towards a conventional career, his heart longed for a profession in fishing. As a remedy, he decided to enter FLW Bass Fishing League (BFL) tournaments while attending school.

“I knew that in order to be the best, you had to fish against the best. And, the BFL circuit was the best one that I could compare myself to other anglers in.”

BFL Co to Pro

Competing as a co-angler his first season, he quickly became discouraged. He fished for nearly eight years in team tournaments with his father and had grown accustomed to participating in all tournament-day decisions. As a co-angler, however, tournament adjustments were out of his control. The following season, he decided to enter as a boater. Casey’s father granted him use of his Ranger 205 VS / Mercury Optimax for the season.

“I loved it. I feel like I really cut my teeth in big-time tournaments by fishing boater in the BFLs. It was different than anything that I was used to. When you go out there on a team trail, there are two people in the boat making the calls. When you are out there by yourself, it is all you. There is a big difference.”

Success did not immediately follow his leap to BFL boater status. As he gained experience, however, the consistency in his performance steadily improved. His breakout season would occur in 2005. That year, he chose to enter both the South Carolina and Savannah River divisions. Going into the final events of the season, Casey had established a lead in both divisional point standings. Although he ultimately finished as a runner-up, he double-qualified for the BFL Regional tournament and earned priority entry for the 2006 Stren Series.

Not wanting to dismiss the prospect of competing at a higher rung on the tournament stepladder, Casey decided to enter the first Stren Series Southeast Division event on Lake Okeechobee. Despite never previously fishing Okeechobee, Casey successfully located a flat populated with good-sized largemouth and posted the heaviest opening day limit. It was the first time in his young career that he led a multiple-day, national tournament. The Stren Series reset-weight format eventually erased his opening round lead, but he held on to finish in 17^th Place. His confidence quietly grew.

“I had such a good time down there, I decided to head back. I had made enough money in that tournament to pay my entry fee for the B.A.S.S. Southern Tour.”

Two weeks later, Casey turned-in yet another impressive tournament by finishing 22^nd in the first tournament of the Southern Tour season. His success among fellow tournament anglers, two to three times his elder, started to garner the attention of tour-level professionals.

“I remember standing around after the weigh-in, talking with Terry Scroggins and Terry Seagraves. They asked me if I was going to fish the rest of the events. I told them that I really didn’t know – that it depended upon if I did well enough to pay for the entry fees. They said I really needed to. They pointed out that I had just done well in that one and had a good chance to qualify for the Elites. I just kind of thought, ‘Yeah, yeah – whatever… I ain’t good enough to do that.’”

The Southern Tour

On a whim, Casey decided to continue fishing the Southern Tour events on top of the Strens. One factor that influenced his decision was that two of his closest friends and BFL running mates, Jason Williamson and Marty Robinson, had already committed to the Southern Tour.

“At that time, the furthest that I had traveled from home was Myrtle Beach. Before I realized it, I was heading to Sam Rayburn, Texas. So, it was an adjustment for me and took some getting used to.”

While the remainder of the Stren Series was not as profitable as the Okeechobee opener, his success on the B.A.S.S. tournament track was a pleasant surprise. He capped his 2006 Southern Tour season with a 4^th Place finish on Lake Lanier, and in finishing the season in 8^th Place overall, became eligible to compete in the Bassmaster Elite Series. Casey’s tour invitation preceded Jason and Marty’s, both of whom would later qualify through the Northern Tour and Wildcard fish-off.

“In the back of my mind, I had wanted to do well in the Southern Tour and make the Elite Series, but at the same time, I didn’t know how I was going to pay for it.”

Although the opportunity to compete on the sport’s most prestigious level would fulfill his lifelong dream, the initial financial investment combined with the uncertainty of future income intimidated Casey. Elite Series entry fees, paid in separate installments, totaled 55-thousand dollars. He desperately needed monetary support.

“I had a good friend that I first met as a kid while fishing night tournaments on Lake Russell help me out. He was a very talented fisherman, and we even fished some of those tournaments together. He always told me that if I made it, that he would do that. I didn’t have the money. I had just won a boat, but couldn’t sell it right away, so he helped me out with the first one. The next payment was due in January, and my Daddy helped me out with that one. Shortly after that, I sold my boat, so I had the money for the last one.”

First Tournament, Too Much?

With entry fees paid, Ashley prepared to hit the Elite Series road with his friends. His first tournament, on Lake Amistad, would prove to be a daunting test of his professional mettle and resolve. Prior to arriving in Del Rio, Texas, Casey, Jason, and Marty got caught in a traffic jam just outside of Houston.

“Traffic was completely stopped, so we got out of our trucks and hopped into our boats to work on our tackle – right in the middle of Interstate 10. We thought that it would help us pass the time. But, Jason had left his diesel truck running the whole time we were stopped, and once traffic started moving 2-1/2 hours later, he discovered that his idle pulley had locked down. So they had to stop traffic again to bring a wrecker out there to pull him off the road.”

To save money, Jason requested a tow to the nearest gas station while Casey and Marty followed. There, Casey helped shuttle Jason to and from an automotive parts store until they fixed the seized pulley. Six hours later, they were back on the road, headed south again towards Del Rio.

“After driving for a couple more hours, we were pretty tired, so we stopped at a motel to rest. At 5 AM the next morning, my phone started ringing. It was Marty’s wife – she was freaking out. The police had pulled-over a truck and found Marty’s phone, half of his rods, his GPS, my GPS, and a bunch of other stuff.  Someone had stolen all of it! It was a bad deal. All that happened before we got to even fish our first tournament!”

Unfortunately, Casey’s tournament did not transpire any more favorably. With a respectable stringer already assembled, he lost a critical seven-pound fish with just minutes to go the first day. While recovering from the disappointment, Casey attempted to start his engine only to discover that his battery had depleted. He arrived at check-in seven minutes late.

“It cost me the cut and a money finish. I finished 88^th in my first Elite Series tournament. I was scratching my head asking, ‘What have I gotten myself into? What am I doing here?’”

Reversal of Fortune

Casey quickly turned his season around with money finishes at the California Delta (24^th) and Clear Lake (13^th). The winnings allowed him to reimburse his father prior to heading to his home waters of Clarks Hill Lake, South Carolina.

“I knew that if I could just make it to that tournament, I was going to do well. It was my time of year, and I knew so many places out there.”

After recording a 22-pound limit on Day One, Casey sat atop the leader board. He held onto his lead through Day Two, but faded slightly in the final two rounds. Casey was satisfied with his first Top-10 on tour.

“At that point in the game, an 8^th Place finish was a really big deal for me. I won the Berkley Big Bag award, too, which was a pretty decent check back then. So, I ended up earning twenty-some grand. That gave me some breathing room through the remainder of the season.”

Following a tough tournament on Lake Guntersville, Casey headed to Smith Mountain Lake, Virginia. After amassing a four-day total weight of 57-03, he outdistanced 106 anglers to capture his first tour-level victory. Ironically, Smith Mountain’s runner-up was Terry Scroggins, the Florida pro who encouraged him to fish the Elites less than eighteen months prior.

Casey’s friends and family celebrated the victory. One family member created a sign and fastened it to his mailbox that proudly announced, “Casey Ashley – 2007 Bassmaster Elite Series Champion!”

The win marked the third finish of 13^th Place or higher in Casey’s rookie campaign, and the positive momentum carried him to a Bassmaster Classic qualification by season’s end. Casey proved that he should be considered among professional fishing’s most promising young stars.

Casey was no longer a tour newcomer. He gained the other anglers’ respect, and companies within the industry pledged additional support. Z-Man Chatterbait, Triton Boats, and Mercury Marine formed Casey’s sponsorship team at the start of the season. By the end of the year, Lucky Craft and Pure Fishing brands also joined his group.

“Coming into the tour as a rookie was tough that way. I really didn’t know how to promote myself at that point in the game. Chatterbait was my only paying sponsor, and that was because I knew the guy and helped him make the baits down here in Greenwood. I picked up Pure Fishing during the middle of the season and Lucky Craft at the Classic. I didn’t have to worry about buying line, rod and reels, and a ton of tackle the first year. That was a big load off my chest. And, I was already with Triton and Mercury at the time, so everything just worked out. I am very lucky in that way.”

Big Brothers

Casey believes that the tutelage he received from veteran pros Gerald Swindle and Marty Stone, helped him in effectively communicating with sponsors – a skill he had yet to acquire.

“Gerald and Marty have been like big brothers to me. As a young man that didn’t know much of anything at the time, they really helped me out more than anybody I know. They are really good at marketing themselves, and know what to do. The main things they taught me were to be a good listener and knowing what not to say. When you meet with a potential sponsor, you need to let them talk. And, you need to listen. In my experience, that has been true every time.”

One other influential professional in Casey’s early career was Boyd Duckett. Casey first encountered Boyd while fishing the Southern Tour in 2006. The two became friends, and Boyd helped introduce him to other anglers as well as tournament staff.

“During one of those events, I stood through the most awful-sounding national anthem I had ever heard. Boyd Duckett took me out that evening and introduced me to all sorts of folks: Lurch – the B.A.S.S. emcee, Janet Bell with ESPN, and several others. I remember asking them about it, ‘I have one question for you; who sang the national anthem today?’ Lurch replied, ‘Why?’ I said, ‘Because that was the worst thing I have ever heard in my life.’ Lurch said, ‘Well, it was me! We left the tape at home and nobody else would do it, so somebody had to sing! Why, do you want to do it?’ I volunteered, and the next morning, was handed the microphone and had at it. I sang at several more events that year, some of the Elite Series tournaments my rookie season, and a couple Classics after that.”

Janet Bell later organized a meeting between Casey and songwriter Rodney Clawson, a former Elite Series co-angling regular. After learning of Casey’s vocal abilities, Rodney wrote a personalized song titled “Fisherman”. Janet and Rodney arranged to have Casey record the song at Legend Studios in Nashville, Tennessee, a week prior to the start of the 2008 Classic. The studio, widely known in association with headline country music stars Willie Nelson and Waylon Jennings, served as host for Casey’s recording. An ESPN camera crew captured his special day on film, for replay at the Classic.

The development of Casey’s singing talent can be attributed to his grandfather’s love of gospel music. While attending weekend service, Casey’s family encouraged him to sing while in church. Members in the church congregation took notice and invited him to sing as a part of future services. As singing invitations became more regular, participation turned into commitment, and soon he started visiting neighboring churches nearly every weekend.

“I sang as a little boy, but never sang in public, with the exception of church. Gospel is what got me in front of more people than anything. There was a time where I was in a different church every weekend.  When I was a freshman in high school, I entered a talent show and finished second. After that, I said that I would never do it again. But, I ended up singing at high schools, ball games, and other events. My Granddaddy really loved the gospel music, and I loved the singing, especially country music.”

When Casey turned 18, he purchased a guitar and started lessons. Now, Casey’s singing career is progressing full-steam-ahead. In the early summer of 2010, he auditioned for and signed with Buddy Lee Attractions, one of Nashville’s oldest and largest talent agencies.

“With their help, I’d really like to try and tie my singing and fishing together. I think it would help not only my career, but the sport at the same time. We discussed scheduling performances in connection with tournaments.”

Remaining at the heart of Casey’s future aspirations, as it has always been since his early childhood, is fishing.

“I want to be able to stay in the sport for a long time. I don’t want to be in it for ten years and then gone. Whether or not the singing takes off, I still want to fish. I am going to find a way, someway, somehow, to keep fishing. It may or may not be on the Elite Series forever, but I still want to be around because I love it that much.”

[END]
“Fisherman”

Written by Rodney Clawson

Brother it’s a long road, from Amistad to Toho,
Doesn’t matter which way you go, the miles are all the same.
When you finally get there, and when you pull the cover off,
Then it’s time to get a little bit lost, out on the lake.

Gonna back this boat into the water,
Find a way to win a couple dollars,
The weather man says there’s a cold front coming down,
Bring it on, I’ve seen it all by now.

I can catch ‘em shallow, I can catch ‘em deep,
Open water or the back of a creek,
The wind, the rain, to me it’s all the same,
I make a living playing this game,
I thank the Lord above every time I can,
I get to be a fisherman.

Come Thursday morning, I’ll have me something figured out,
It’s not definite but just about, that I can make the cut,
I’m bettin’ on Sunday, that I’ll be fishing solo,
Just me and my cameraman Joe, And with a little bit of luck I’ll have just enough.

I can catch ‘em shallow, I can catch ‘em deep,
Open water or the back of a creek,
The wind, the rain, to me it’s all the same,
I make a living playing this game,
I thank the Lord above every time I can,
I get to be a fisherman.

Casey Ashley Achievements:

2002 – Started fishing FLW Bass Fishing League Events.

2005 – Won BFL tournament on Santee Cooper, SC. Season Runner-up, BFL South Carolina Division.

2006 – B.A.S.S. Southern Tour, 8^th Place for Season. Qualified for Elite Series.

2007 – 3^rd Place, Elite Series Rookie of the Year. Won Blue Ridge Brawl on Smith Mountain Lake, VA. Qualified for Bassmaster Classic.

2008 – Fished First Bassmaster Classic.

2009 – Runner-Up, Dixie Duel, Wheeler Lake, AL.

1 Win, 9 Top-10’s, 3 Bassmaster Classic Qualifications, and $435,000 in career B.A.S.S. Winnings.

1 Win, 8 Top-10’s, and $42,800 in career FLW Winnings.